Air jet propelled top



J..R. MORDAN AIR JET PROPELLED TOP 7 Filed July' 4, i945 film mmvron(LTTQRNEYS l I Jan. 29, 1946.

.J. R. MORDAN AIRJET PROPELLED TOP Filed July 4, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR'.

Patented Jan; 29, 1946 I mnmimornmnn 'ron rum Mordan, Alden, N. Y.Apnliesfiemlulx 1945, sena. Non ens-ms;v mmm (Cli are -5WThis-invention.reiatesztmwspinnmg tomw/hich is=adapted itd bepmpeliedon'mtaized air 'whiel'nis-compressemtwithim:aiohambenfomred inzthebodyiofl the-top ainchdischmzg'editangientiazlln therefrom sozthatthexemtiomoiitheesca'pinetair.

ternal-ntmosphere sand-.deiiv'ermstiiessameuin a,

compressed conditioninto 'amhamder imthe top and valve-meanswhenehy-xhesadmissi'on ofiain into this: chamber: andi lihfidisehargertherefrom;may

bemainuailly,controiiedcthesessincompressing'and: I controllingmeansxbeingcinomrpomtemim tli'es'top. soc-that thetsameeformssaiselfzoontainingunitt for- A furthenrohieot' ofizthissinventfon' is to.so, organize the? air commessnigm means; so): that the pumpingrmeansmaybes ionic-emu: aminoperative condition; andnther'ain. dischargwmeansrmayaslsu be; lockeckini an; open positfmnfm spinning; thetop whenever thisis desired. 1 i

A further. object otirthis -inventiomisztoizpmvide meansfor..-aoeompii'shing these purposes: which are: compact; easilyoperableeconomifiaifin structionand: notf'lia-ble tougetzontrof rordenIn the aceompanyingwzz:

Fig; lzis ayverticals section offan aiir'pmpelled' top embodyingxapseierredisfomrtoftfiis: invention and showing: the; partsimtheaposittorr whioh: .tti'ey oocupy'when the: topihas :bieenctchargeciwi ciroomrpressed'pair'aindzready tozberspunu Fig; 2; iszta'stopipleniview ofittie sameswith a part brokemaway torshow one-oil the: jetdischargenozzl'es andi'the mechanismfor-"controlling thensame,

Fig-t 3- i's a fragmentaryvertioai sectiomofthe upper part -off the topshowing partof the air pumpin me'cl ianisma'nwpa-rt'oftlie' mechanismwhichcontrolsthe-di'sclia rge-ofezirfi'om-thegoom pressedair' chamber;this last mentione'dmechan-ism' being shown ina position inzwhicli theair dischetrge' valves -of"tlie air 'jet' nozzlessare i'n a.nopen-position; v

' Fig; 4 is a frori'zontaf'section tek'en on IineJ-f-I, Fig. 3.

Fig: 5 is. a horizontal secti'onwon. anenleirgedt scale, ,taken on line5-5,,Fig =L.

Fig, 6 is & fragmentarylvertioallseofiion omen enlarged! so ale, iofQthelower part. oiithe. topishow ing, the. peg; on wlriiohthecitonvspinsamathose parts. oflthepump with.,.w.hiclnityis-.oonneeted in apositi'oniimwhich' pimm;issoperating;v

Figs. 7 and;ariareshorizontaleseotionss lt'akenion theoorrespondinglyinumbered; lines insl iigg, 6.

Fig; 9; is,- aefragmentary', seetionalu uiew-showiing aflmodifiedu-formi 01: an air outletivalvewhichcone trolsithe. dischargeoi; compressediair firomitne storage. chamber to one ointhe air jet.delivery nozzles. H e Ixz-the; followingdeseriptionzsimilan chanaotersoi reference indicate like-partsrdm the: severalfigureszofithesdrawingszq. Y

Inrgenenahthishton-comprisessaiholiovohodwthe interiorofiwhichiformsraichamher torture-storage of, compressed. air. whereby,-the tonwiscemtaitedg a pumping; device. wherebm air, is taken-from: the

externaliatmospherea-and. delivered iHtQTIthiSr-diS-r chargeohamber. ina? compressed condition, air discharge valve. meansiwhiehicontrol-thedelivery of air fromthe. storage chamberr'tostheeaztmosfphone;,andv-manuallmoperated meansswhereby the operationofitheair dischargevmeainsnmay become trolled as desired.

Thebody, oi the top isegenerall a of; globular fomnandvcomposed. of.lower and upper semi-r gbbi-ilan sections. I 0,. w l- I which tare madeof: sheet metal and connected-at .thei-r peripheral edges-My means ofaninterlocking seam r joint; Isl-sepals inform. between theseitwosectionsasiohamberv l 3 inswhicli compressedlnin issstorediforiuse. in[drivingihe top,

' Themeans. for delivering compressed; air; into the; storiageehamben inthe topasshown aimthe drawings are preferably constructed: est-follows:The numeral. l'4' representsan upright pump cylinder or tubewhich'isarranged oentrally withf in the. hollow body. ofthe. topand:connected thereto .at its lower endtherewithiwhile its, upper end isclosed by a head. [land spaced fromrthe upper pairtior wall,ofnthe,storage..ohamber; The pump cylinder [4' mam'besmaintainedsinits. upright'position within. the hollowhody, ofithe' top by anysuitablemmeansubut preferably: a retainingrin'g Z'Esecured'to theexterior; thereof about midway of its height, andiaplllralitwof bracesor rods-30" arranged, in aniannulan row witliiir this" hollow body andaround the, pump cylinder and each connected respectivelx; afiLits innerand outer ends" by" brazing or otherwise withtl nfs; retaining collar"and; theslower section of 'tl ie-hol-l'ow bod-y; as shown-in Figs; 1'9.1162.

Waive-meansare' provided wfiereby airmay'be conducted Irom the extemalatinosphere into tl'ie rip-P 11 end; 01? this pump oyii'nden anddischarged thereifmrm into; tliesstorage -.ohaml:iera of v the rbbdi'",which means comprise anazininlet condnifiliarving hwm upper: bmnclies:my. l"6-=' open through 7 outlet tube I8 and is yieldingly held in 7pump cylinder to the storage chamber.

the top of the storage chamber'on opposite sides of the center thereof,and a lower branch l1 7 which is connected with the upper head of themeans of a spring 2|, and an air outlet check valve 22 which controls anoutlet port 23 in the, I

its closed position by means of a spring 24.

Within the upper part of the pump cylinder is arranged a verticallyreciprocable piston 26 which with the' floor'or'any available surfaceand then.

upon being moved downwardly will cause air .to be drawn inwardly intothe pump cylinder through the air inlet. conduit l6, l1 and through theinlet port'zll which at this time is uncovered'by the inlet valve-I9 dueto thesuction-of the piston acting on' the same, during which timetheoutlet P014313 is'closed by the suction of the piston to-' getherwiththe action of its closing spring 24. During the upward stroke of thepump piston the air-inlet valve; I9 is closed and the outlet checkvalve22 is opened by the pressure of the air in the pump cylinder,thereby causing'the air to be transferred in'a compressed condition fromthe During the bperation of charging'the storage chamber with compressedairthe piston 26 is reciprocated repeatedly, 'a relatively smallquantity of air being drawn into the pump and discharged into thestorage chamber during each'cycle-of pumping operations'and the numberofreciprocations of the pump being continued until the desired amount ofcompressed air has accumulated in the storage chamber. 7 j I The inwardor upward movement of the pump piston is effected by means which areoperated manually and the downward movement of the V same is efiected byspring automatically. For the purpose of moving the piston upwardly thesame is-connected with the upper end of a piston rod 2! which isarranged axially within the pump cylinder and has its lower end conmeanswhich operate n'ectedwith a peg 28which is arranged underneath the bodyof the top and having a downwardly tapering end upon which the topisadapted to spin while the sameis in use.

This pump rod and the pegat its lower end are maintained in axialalinement with the pump cylinder by means of an upper stop collar orring 3| which is arranged in the pump cylinder about midway of itslength and secured at its outer edge to the bore of the same, while the'holein the center thereof receives the pump rod 21 and forms a guidetherefor.

' The spring means which operate to automatically move {the piston andthe parts connected therewith downwardly, when the same are free,preferably comprise a lower stop collar or shoulder 32 which engageswith an annular grove 33fon the pump rod 21 between the lower endthereof uppercollar 3!. which is secured to the pump cylinder. Means,are provided for maintaini g the spring 34 close to the peripheryof thepump rod and away from the bore of the pump cylinder in order to permitthese parts to work freely relative to each other and also limit theupward movement of the piston and associated parts relative tov the pumpcylinder. This is preferably accomplished by means of a housing and stoptube 35 which surrounds the ejecting spring 34 within the lower part ofthe pump cylinder and bears at its lowerfend against the stop-collar 32,as shown in Figsgl'andfiiwhile its upper end engages the upper stopcollar or shoulder 3|.

, 'For the purpose of filling the storage chamber with compressed airthe operator takes hold of opposite peripheral parts of the body whilethe V pump. p stonand spinning peg areprojected by means of the spring34, then engages this peg pushes the body toward the peg, whereby the'air in the pump cylinder is'forced into the storage chamber. Uponthereafter releasing the pressure against i the body the spring againmoves the body away from the peg and causes another 7 the desired airpressure has been established in V the storage'chambe'r.

. D'etent or lockingineans are provided whereby the piston, piston rodand peg-may be released and permit the spring '34 to move the samedownwardly. relative to thebody and cylinder preparatorytocperating theair pump for filling the storage chamber withcompressed air and which-'in Figs." 1, "6,. 7. and 8 are preferred and con- 7 structed asfollows:

The numeral 36 represents two locking or retaining'hooks arrangedondiametrically opposite sides 'of the piston rod and preferably formedintegrally with the" lower end of the pump 'cylinder. These hooks havetheir jaws or beaks facing inwardly towarde'ach other and have theiropposite sides separated from each other -.by

clearance spaces through which a pair of lookmitting theselugs to bemoved upwardly into-a position in which thesame are in the same plane asthe mouths of :thQhOOks 3B; in which position theselugsand thepartsconnected therewith are held from moving downwardly relative, to

thebody ofthe top, as shown-byffull linesin by permitting the spinningpeg to be again projected-as shown by full lines in Fig. 6 and The pumppiston may thus be recipro- When it is de-,

purpose. which are shown in thedrawings comprise a screw 66whichconnects the inner end of the handle 65- withthe outer end of theplunger so.that this handle may be rotated manually about the axis ofthis plunger, and a locking 3 plate operatively connectedwith thishandle so as to turn therewith and provided at its opposite in theseslots, as shown by dotted lines in Fig.4,

and thus move the shifting levers 51, 58 in the direction forpermitting. the air jet valve to close, as shownin Fig. 1. Upon movingthe handle 65 into its outermost position and then turning the same sothat the locking arms 61 engage with the outwardly facing stop shoulders69, as shown by full lines in Figs. 3 and 4, then the plunger will beheld against inward movement and maintain the levers 51, 58 in aposition in which the air jet valves 4! are in open position and permitthe compressed air from the storage chamber to escapetangentiallythrough the jet nozzles 39 and cause the top to rotate about its axis.

. As a whole this top forms an interesting and instructive toy which canbe easily operated for amusement and'instruction and as most of thepartsare arranged withinthe hollow body they r are protected frompossibleinjuryand therefore not liable toget out of order.

I claim as'my invention:

1. A spinning top comprising a body containing anair chamber, a pegwhich projects from the underside of the body and upon which the top isadapted to spin, feeding means for supplying compressed air to saidchamber, and delivery means whereby compressedair is discharged fromsaid chamber to rotate the top;

7 .2. A spinning top comprising a hollow body, a

peg arranged on the underside of said body and about which the top isadapted to turn on a supporting surface, air feeding means for supplyingcompressed air to said chamber including a pump cylinder mounted on thebody, and a piston reciprocable in said cylinder," and connected withsaid peg. V

3. A spinning top comprising a hollow body, a peg arranged on theunderside of said body and aboutwhich the top is adapted to turn on asupporting surface, air feeding means for supplying compressed air tosaid chamber includinga pump cylinder mounted on'the body, and a'pistonreciprocable in said cylinder and connected with said peg, said peg andpiston being reciprocated rod and peg outwardly.

ting air topass from said cylinder to said air chamber.

5. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber for storingcompressed air,

means for feeding compressed air into said chamber including apumpcylinder mounted on said body and provided with inlet valve meansfor admitting air from the external atmosphere into said cylinder andair outlet means for permitting.

airv to pass from said cylinder into said chamber, a pistonvreciprocable in said cylinder, a piston rod arranged insaid cylinder andhaving its inner end connected with said piston, and a peg which 7 V isconnected with the outer endof said rod and upon which the top isadapted to rest while spinnmg. 1

, 6. A spinning top comprising a hollowbody forming a chamber for,storing compressed air, means for feeding compressed air into saidchamber. including a pump'cylinder mounted on said body and provided,with inlet valve means for admitting air from theexternal atmosphereinto said cylinder and air outlet means for permitting air to pass fromsaid cylinder into said chamber,

a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a piston.

rod arranged in said cylinder and having its inner end connected withsaid piston, a peg which is connected with theouter end of said rod; andupon which the top is adapted to rest while spinning, and springmeansfor moving said piston,

7. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber for storingcompressed air,

means for feeding compressed air into said chamber including a pumpcylinder mounted on said body and provided with inlet valve means foradmitting air from the external atmosphere'into 7 'said cylinder and airoutlet means for permitting in unison by'manually pressing the sameinwardly porting surface, air feeding means for supplying compressed airto said chamber including a pump cylinder mounted on the body, a pistonreciprocable in said cylinder, and connected withsaid peg,

inlet check valve means for permitting air to r 7 pass from the externalatmosphere into said cyl-' inder, and outlet check valve means forpermitair to pass from said cylinder into said chamber, a pistonreciprocable in said cylindenia .piston rod arranged in said cylinderand havingits inner end connected with said piston, a peg which isconnected with the outer end of said rod and upon which the top isadapted to rest while spinning, and a spring whereby said piston, rodand peg are moved outwardlyand which surrounds said rod and bears at itsinner and outer ends against a shoulder on said cylinder and a shoulderon said rod. V

8. A spinning top comprising 'aihollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, means for feeding compressed air into saidchamber including a pump cylinder mounted on said body and provided withinlet valve'means for admitting air from the external atmosphere into.said cylinder and air outletmeans for permitting air to pass from saidcylinder into said chamber, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, apiston rod arranged in said cylinder and having its inner end connectedwith said piston, a peg which 'is connected with theouter end of saidrod and upon which the top isadapted to rest while spin- 7 ning, aspring whereby said 'piston,-*rod' and peg.

means for feeding compressed air into said cham-' ber including a pumpcylinder mounted on said body and provided with inlet valve means foradmitting air from the external atmosphere into said cylinder and airoutlet means for permitting :airitopassirwnssaidzzcyltndeniritnzsaadcchmber, azpistonreccprncablermzsaidecdiimiernamistonmodrarrangeddmsaidzcylinflmtzandihavingitsinner enfi aconzneotedwithxssaidzrpistonaiajmeguwhichziis connected WithllfiII-EIOMQT:endoefrsaiidrmdmnd upmr-siil-iich ithe' topizisaaidapted to rest whilespinning, a spring whereby said piston, rod and pegare moved outwardlyand which surrounds said rod and bears at its inner and outer endsagainst a shoulder on said cylinder and a shoulder on said rod, and stopmeans for limiting the inward movement of said piston, rod and peg,including a tube surrounding said spring and connected at its outer endwith said rod and adapted to bear rod arranged in said cylinder andhaving its inner end connected with said .piston, a peg which isconnected with the outer end of said rod and upon which the top isadapted to rest while spinning, and means holding said piston, rod andpeg in their retracted position relative to said body.

11. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, means for feeding compressed air into saidchamber including a. pump cylinder mounted on said body and providedwith inlet valve means for admitting air from the external atmosphereinto said cylinder and air outlet means for permitting air to pass fromsaid cylinder into said chamber, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder,a piston rod arranged in said cylinder and having its inner endconnected with said piston, a. peg which is connected with the outer endof said rod and upon which the top is adapted to rest while spinning,and means holding said piston, rod and peg in their retracted positionrelative to said body, including a locking hook arranged on theunderside of said body and a locking lug which is mounted on said rodand which is rotatable about the axis of the same into and out ofengagement from said locking hook.

12. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same.

13. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same, including a plurality of airdelivery nozzles arranged on the periphery of said body, and valve meansfor controlling the delivery of air through said nozzles.

14. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same, including a plurality of airdelivery nozzles arranged on the periphery of said body and eachprovided with an outlet port, a valve closure for closing and openingsaid port, and manually operated means for actuating said valve closure.

15. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air,

:midmeaas-rtondiscl siaaiiets int ase ti lly annotatin thetsame. .i cl dns l mliizx o air nczzlesrismmesed won; h tperiph ry mi isaid'. bodywand reach gnprovidedaw ith can; outlet .xpcntg al ero e u ml ns d Qpmnssa .mnt w tedsmean r gnac uatias o u emm lnd ns a recibroqableplunger mounted on the upper part of said body, and motion transmittingmeans connecting said plunger with said valve closure.

16. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same, including a plurality of airdelivery nozzles arranged on the periphery of said body and eachprovided with an outlet port, a valve closure for closing and openingsaid port, and manually operated means for actuating said valve closureincluding a reciprocable plunger mounted on the upper part of said body,motion transmitting means connecting said plunger with said valveclosure, and a tubular guide which is mounted on said body and in whichsaid plunger slides.

17. A spinning top comprising a. hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same, including a plurality of airdelivery nozzles arranged on the periphery of said body and eachprovided with an outlet port, a valve closure for closing and openingsaid port, and manually operated means for actuating said valve closure,including a reciprocable plunger mounted on the upper part of said body,motion transmittingmeans connecting said plunger with said valveclosure, a tubular guide which is mounted on said body and in which saidplunger slides, and a diaphragm connecting said plunger with said guide.7

18. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same, including a plurality of airdelivery nozzles arranged on the periphery of said body and eachprovided with an outlet port, a valve closure for closing and openingsaid port, and manually operated means for actuating said valve closure,including a reciprocable plunger mounted on the upper part of said body,and motion transmitting means connecting said plunger with said valveclosure, including a shifting rod connected with said Valve closuremember, and a lever pivoted on said body and having one arm connectedwith said shifting rod and another arm connected with said plunger.

19. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air,

and means for discharging jets of air tangentially for rotating thesame, including a plurality of air delivery nozzles arranged on theperiphery of said body and each provided with an outlet port, a valveclosure for closing and opening said port, manually operated means foractuating said valve closure, and locking means for holding saidactuating means in a position in which said valve closure is shut.

20. A spinning top comprising a hollow body forming a chamber forstoring compressed air, and means for discharging jets of airtangentially for rotating the same, including a plurality of airdelivery nozzles arranged on the periphery of said body and eachprovided with an outlet port, a valve closure for closing and openingsaid port, and manually operated means for actuating said valve closurincluding a- -i'cibrocable plufiger ifor ho'lding saidplunge'r in.atposition' 15 which mounted on the upper-1mm; disaid body,-motionsaidiclosureis'hut includingfi' atlocking armfcomtransmittingmeansconnectingsaid plunger with nected with Said handle'anw'a; stdpshouldezfon said' val'vec10sure,- a. tubular guide which isthe-bodyiadapted:EOZbeLngaged by'sa idlock ing mountedon said body andin which said plunger 6 arm upon rotation of said handle-.1."

ablycohnected with the-latter and locking means I 7/ 7 4,

slides, a. -,handle for operating said plunger rotat- JOSEPH QRDKN:

